Issue > Poetry

Wo Chan

Wo Chanis a queer Fujianese immigrant living in Brooklyn. Wo is the recipient of fellowships from the Asian American Writers Workshop, Poets House, Kundiman, and Lambda Literary. Their work has been published (and forthcoming) in The Margins, cream city review, BARZAHK, and VYM Magazine. Wo is also a member of the Brooklyn-based drag alliance, Switch n' Play, and has performed at venues including Brooklyn Pride, Princeton, The Trevor Project, and the Architectural Digest Expo.

Sweaters

Splayed and splendid
the pastel explosion
now lie limp
and loveless across
my unmade mattress.
Memories of markets
I journeyed dreamfully
to be gypped by Virginian
hawkers, in hopes
of having the most hideous,
one day heavenly,
digest of dissonant
sweaters. Terrible
and untamed turtlenecks:
one royal red
and vermilion riveted,
the neck secured
by a clunky, clover
brooch. And at broad,
a brusque, bronze
holiday jumper,
both horrible and healthy,
reprobate with reindeer,
the reams of retro,
fitted garbs, all garnished,
gay and good.
Periwinkle and peach
cardigan, perky
and exuberant dress,
for the exiled and exempt.
For that life,
I love. Lo,
could I unkindle
my delight in kitsch
I wouldn't. Weirdness,
wonderstrike me!
How else do I speak
to my sad and surreal
self?